We're continuing our look back at our teams travels this week - Mark visited Australia on an epic three-state trip, starting in Sydney, moving to Victoria and driving most of the Queensland Coast in a campervan - here's a quick look at the highlights of his Aussie adventure. . . . Starting in Sydney ​ The first time I visited Australia was 27 years ago as an 18-year old backpacker, but I'm always excited to go back - it's one of the most diverse, incredible countries on the planet. As with many visits Down Under I started in Sydney , which is a very easy city to get to grips with - for me, if you stay anywhere between Central Station and Circular Quay you can't go too far wrong, and it's such as easy place to explore. I stayed right in the middle of Sydney at the Grace Hotel , which has pretty much everything you want to see within a 20 minute walk - I took in the Sydney Tower Eye, Darling Harbour and the amazing Sydney Opera House, all on foot. ...

We're having a look back at some of our favourite travels from last year - Karen headed to the USA, visiting New York, Miami and Las Vegas, on an action-packed trip. Here's a quick look at the highlights of her visit State-side . . . . The Big Apple ​ I've been to various parts of the States before, but this was my first trip to New York - it's one of those cities that's so well known on TV and in films that you kind of feel that you know it already, so it did feel like I was on a movie set at times - or at least in an episode of Friends!  I chose to stay close to Penn station as I was taking the train to my next destination - the Wyndham New Yorker is in such a handy location, plus I love the Art Deco feel of the place. I used the hop-on hop-off buses quite a bit - what a great way to get around and to take in all the main sights - plus I took a cruise out towards the Statue of Liberty, which was fab! There's so much to see and do that you could g...

As 2019 gets underway we've been having a look back at our favourite trips of 2018 - we love to travel at Escape Worldwide, and one of Darren's favourite trips last year (there were many to choose from!) was to Indonesia, taking in the islands of Bali and Java. Here's a quick look at his highlights . . . . TheBeaches of Bali ​I've been to Bali a number of times over the years, but this time I also visited a totally new place for me, the neighbouring island of Java. On Bali I based myself in the lively resort of Seminyak - probably my favourite part of the island - but explored all the main resorts. When I say 'explored' I actually mean 'bar-crawled' - there's no better way to get to know a place! Seminyak has a real buzz to it, with loads of restaurants and bars, but it's not as lively as Kuta. For me the reason I love Seminyak is for sunsets - grab a beanbag on the beach and a cold Bintang beer, and watch the sun set in specta...

TOP 5 ROMANCE Add a little romance to your life with our top 5 romantic destinations. LIGHT A SKY LANTERN ON THE BEACH IN THAILAND Traditional sky lanterns are launched across Thailand for celebrations and to bring good luck, and there’s no better way to mark a special occasion than to launch your own lantern in to the night sky. Made out of rice paper and a bamboo frame, the lanterns can drift for miles in a breeze before gently returning to the ground once the candle has gone out. The most popular time to launch a sky lantern is during the Loi Krathong festival in November, but lanterns are available in most beach resorts year-round – our suggestion would be to head for Krabi , and watch your lantern rise above a backdrop of island and outcrops of Phang Nga Bay. HOT AIR BALLOON OVER THE MASAI MARA, KENYA A safari is a special travel experience, and a balloon ride over the plains of Africa is truly something else – a real ‘once in a lifetime’ experience when the roma...

A driving holiday is a superb way to really get to know a destination, and many countries are well suited to this style of holiday. Darren shares some of his favourites. The USA is one of the most popular self-drive destinations and there are a myriad of routes and itineraries you can consider, from the theme parks and beaches of Florida, the volcanoes and coastline of the Hawaiian Islands or the classic Route 66 from Chicago to Los Angeles. One of the most popular itineraries combines the states of Nevada and California, taking in Las Vegas, San Francisco and LA, plus a host of other locations in between. From Vegas it’s only a short drive to the Grand Canyon, albeit in the wrong direction, while the route through to San Francisco will take you via Death Valley and Yosemite National Parks. Then follow the Californian coast south to LA, stopping in the likes of Monterey, Carmel and Santa Barbara en route. If you want to combine your transport and your accommodation, then hiri...

Japan is a fun and crazy place and nowhere is crazier than the Robot Restaurant in Tokyo. Mark visited this amazing place when he was in Tokyo on a trip around Japan. We have some amazing holiday ideas to Japan -  http://www.escapeworldwide.co.uk/far_east/japan_holidays.html Escape Worldwide - Home of Long Haul Holidays http://www.escapeworldwide.co.uk

We're having a look back on some of our favourite trips from 2016 - it's been a busy year at Escape Worldwide and the team have been criss-crossing the globe from Sydney to Havana, Tokyo to Nairobi. Karen visited Malaysia and Bali in September, taking in vibrant Kuala Lumpur, Bali's various beach resorts including Nusa Dua, Seminyak, Legian and Sanur, and the relaxed mountain hideaway of Ubud. Here's a quick look at her highlights . . . Kuala Lumpur ​ Kuala Lumpur is one of my favourite Far East cities - it has such a buzz, there's loads to see and do, great quality hotels and some of the best food in Asia! I stayed at the Hotel Istana which is in a perfect location closed to the lively Bukit Bintang area of the city (think Oxford Street), and with one of my favourite streets a close walk away - Jalan Alor, which is packed with dozens of stalls each selling a local delicacy - delicious! I spent a day exploring the city using the local hop-on hop-o...

Mark is a great fan of Mombasa in Kenya and on his recent visit he did a bit of shopping: Whenever I travel overseas I always bring back a few knickknack souvenirs, despite the fact I have a house full of the stuff anyway – wooden carvings, paintings, spice boxes and the like. When I go to Mombasa, though, I buy stuff more for fun of the bartering than the goods themselves. On this trip I’d set myself a mission – I wanted a small plate to use as a spoon tray in the kitchen at home, and under no circumstances was I to buy any form of wooden carving – and definitely not an animal of any nature. Bartering for souvenirs on the beaches of Mombasa can be quite an intimidating process if you’re not expecting it – lots of sellers shouting random prices to you faster than you can work out the Sterling equivalent. On past trips I’d also been asked for pens and socks as these items are harder to get hold of in Kenya, so on this occasion I’d come prepared. Armed with my previous experi...

OK, the Pandas are a must see and there’s no better place than Chengdu, however Darren found Chengdu to have so much more to offer. I loved Chengdu and like most cities in China it’s busy and bustling with so much going on, however I found the place to have a whole charm of it’s own. The people are fun and friends and of a night the place becomes alive. A must visit is the Chinese Opera. The Shu Feng Ya Yun Sichuan Opera is an amazing mix of the old and the new. Wonderful traditional Sichuan Opera costumes, stories, mask changing which was pretty mesmerising, fire breathing and puppetry are mixed with laser and multimedia effects. It’s easy to prebook, or book locally with your tour guide or at the hotel and with tickets starting from around £20 per person its great value for money. After the show head to the beautiful Anshun Lang Bridge (just by the Shangri La Hotel) which is beautifully lit creating a mystical reflection on the river. Just across the Jin River...

Bangkok, Siem Reap and Hua Hin  A superb three-centre itinerary combining cities, history and relaxation, taking in vibrant Bangkok, the incredible Temples of Angkor in Cambodia, and relaxing Hua Hin to finish. This is one of our favourite holidays at Escape Worldwide. Mark has been to all three destinations to feel free to give him a call! ITINERARY Day 1 - UK to Bangkok Fly from Heathrow to Bangkok, arriving the following day. Departures from other UK airports are also available, please ask for details. Day 2 - Bangkok On arrival, you’ll be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel, the handily located Park Plaza Bangkok Soi 18 for a three night stay. Our holidays to Thailand are extremely flexible so if you’d prefer a shorter or longer stay just ask! Days 3-4 - Bangkok Spend the next few days exploring chaotic Bangkok . Check out the temples, markets, restaurants and nightlife of this wonderful city. Day 5 - Bangkok to Siem Reap Transfer back to ...

It’s been a crazy year of travel already this year for the Escape Worldwide team. The team has been far and wide looking at hotels, resorts, cities, checking out the beaches and of course testing the local beers! So far this year we have been to: ·          Sydney and most of New South Wales ·          Jamaica ·          Japan (Osaka, Tokyo, Hiroshima and Kyoto by bullet train) ·           Cuba (Havana, Vinales Valley, Santa Clara, Trinidad, Ceinfuegos, Remedios and Varadero) ·          Abu Dhabi ·          Ras Al Khaimah ·          Dubai ·          Orlando All this before June, so what’s next for the rest of the year, well th...

South Africa is an amazing destination offering everything from wildlife, stunning scenery and amazing food and fine wines! We can offer plenty of holiday options and one of our favourite is combining vibrant Cape Town with the sheer beauty of the Garden Route and the thrill of safari in the Eastern Cape - one of the most popular South Africa fly-drive itineraries, taking in the best of the Rainbow Nation. SUGGESTED ITINERARY Day 1 - UK to Cape Town Fly from London to Cape Town, arriving next day. Days 2-4 - Cape Town On arrival you'll be transferred to to your chosen hotel, for a three night stay - we have a range to choose from, and your length of stay in Cape Town is flexible. Spend the next few days exploring Cape Town . Perhaps pre-book a Discover Cape Town City Tour (from £23 per person) - a great introduction to this spectacular city, the Cape Town City Tour provides the perfect opportunity to sample some of its attractions and get your bearings. We generally...

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A holiday to a great way to relax and spend time with the ones you love or great friends, however, it doesn’t always follow that your loved ones and friends are in the UK! Escape Worldwide can offer holiday packages starting from all over the globe, just the other day Christine arranged an amazing holiday to Bangkok and Phuket in Thailand, for two sisters. One sister and her family lived in the UK and the other sister and her family lived in Auckland,  New Zealand, so we arranged a holiday where they all meet up in Bangkok, then onto Phuket before going  home to their respective countries.  All flights, transfers and accommodation arranged for them. The lady was so happy as the sisters and their families hadn’t seen each other for 10 years and Thailand was a perfect location for them to meet up. The world is smaller than ever so feel free to give us a call, 020 8989 0970 or email us at info@escapeworldwide.co.uk if you would like us to help you ...

Darren talks about one of his fav places.... Bangkok..Thailand Thailand is probably my favourite country of all those I've visited, and it's one I've been to the most - I went twice this year alone, taking in the beach resorts of Phuket and Koh Samui , plus spending a few days on Bangkok , one of my favourite cities anywhere! This time I stayed at the Rembrandt Hotel , which is really well located for zipping around Bangkok on the skytrain, the monorail network that keeps moving when the City's terrible traffic grinds to a halt. The best thing I find is to get a day pass for the skytrain that costs 100 Baht (about £2) which lets you travel all day - it's easier than getting a ticket each trip! The Rembrandt Hotel has a superb Indian restaurant on the top floor, and dining here comes with a spectacular view across Bangkok - the food's pretty good too! On this trip I did a bit of sightseeing in Bangkok and went back to the Grand Pa...

We've had a busy start to the year and already its becoming clear that a couple of destinations are in favour this year. Safaris in Kenya and Tanzania are proving to be as popular as ever and remarkably good value. Safaris in Africa do really create memories of a lifetime and everyone in the office has been on safari and we just can't stop talking about them. I'm a huge fan and below is a picture I took of a stunning Cheetah when on was on the Masai Mara last: Cheetah on the Masai Mara The wildlife in Kenya is simply stunning and seeing the Big 5 is pretty easy. Tents and Lodges are very comfortable with all the creature comforts us humans insist on. After the fun and excitement on safari then you should really take a couple of days to kick back and chil on a stunning white beach, so try Mombasa on the Kenyan Coast or the tropical island of Zanzibar in Tanzanaia. Holidays to Thailand  are yet again proving massively popular, largely I think as ...

Hi All, Check out some great holiday ideas and offers we have this week: http://www.escapeworldwide.co.uk/newsletter/offers/Mar11b2.html Makadi Bay - Palace Family Star Probably one of the best value options this week is to the Red Sea in Egypt with some amazing kids price....only £399 per child , even in school holidays! Have a look if you don't believe me - http://www.escapeworldwide.co.uk/prices/offers/egypt9.PDF We've got plenty of other offers so why note check out the newsletter....or go to http://www.escapeworldwide.co.uk/ for more great family holiday ideas! Happy travelling Darren Escape Worldwide - Home of great holidays

As you know Escape Worldwide  had a stall this year at the Wanstead Festival and it was a great day. The event had a great turn out and the weather held....no rain....yeh!!!! Our little stall had plenty of interest: It was a good day and we met many potential customers which was FAB. Probably the most enquired holiday of the day was safaris  this was probably because of the huge banner of a cheetah we had, many thanks to Somak Holidays! Darren  http://www.escapeworldwide.co.uk